Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device is provided. The display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid-crystal layer, a first electrode, and an opposite electrode. The liquid-crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first electrode is disposed on the first substrate. The opposite electrode is disposed on the side of the second substrate that faces the first substrate. The first electrode includes a first main portion and a plurality of first extending portions. The first extending portions are connected to the first main portion, at least one of the first extending portions includes a first side, a second side, and a curved structure. The curved structure connects the first side to the second side, and the curved structure has a first curvature radius greater than zero.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/351,758, filed on Mar. 13, 2019, and entitled “display device”, whichis a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/272,833, filedSep. 22, 2016, and entitled “display device”, now U.S. Pat. No.10,274,800 B2, which claims priority of China Patent Application No.201510638234.3, filed on Sep. 30, 2015, the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a display device, and in particular toa display device with a disclination line.

Description of the Related Art

Conventional display device includes a first substrate, a secondsubstrate, a liquid-crystal layer, and an electrode. The liquid-crystallayer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.The electrode is disposed on the first substrate. Conventionally, theelectrode includes a plurality of branches, and corners are formed onthe ends of the branches. Finding a way to improve the lighttransmittance and the response time is an important issue of the displaytechnology.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a display device is provided. The display deviceincludes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid-crystal layer,a first electrode, and an opposite electrode. The liquid-crystal layeris disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Thefirst electrode is disposed on the first substrate. The oppositeelectrode is disposed on the side of the second substrate that faces thefirst substrate. The first electrode comprises a first main portion anda plurality of first extending portions. The first extending portionsare connected to the first main portion, and at least one of the firstextending portions comprises a first side, a second side, and a curvedside. The curved side connects the first side and the second side, andthe curved side has a first curvature radius greater than zero.

In another embodiment, a display device is provided. The display deviceincludes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid-crystal layer,a first electrode, and an opposite electrode. The liquid-crystal layeris disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Thefirst electrode is disposed on the first substrate. The oppositeelectrode is disposed on the side of the second substrate that faces thefirst substrate. The first electrode comprises a first main portion anda plurality of first extending portions. The first extending portionsare connected to the first main portion, and at least one of the firstextending portions comprises a first side, a second side, and a curvedside. The curved side connects the first side and the second side. Thefirst side connects the first main portion at a first end point. Thesecond side connects the first main portion at a second end point. Thecurved side connects the first side at a third end point. The curvedside connects the second side at a fourth end point. The area of thefirst extending portion is greater than the quadrilateral area enclosedby the first, second, third, and fourth end points.

In another embodiment, a display device is provided. The display deviceincludes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid-crystal layer,a first sub-pixel area, and a second sub-pixel area. The liquid-crystallayer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.A disclination line structure is between the first sub-pixel area andthe second sub-pixel area, and the disclination line structure comprisesa disclination line main portion and a plurality of top indentations. Avirtual line segment is defined at a location where one of the topindentations connect to the disclination line main portion. The virtualline segment is parallel to the extending direction of the disclinationline main portion. The one of the top indentation comprises a firstdisclination line side and a second disclination line side. The firstdisclination line side is relatively adjacent to the center of thedisclination line main portion. The second disclination line side isrelatively away from the center of the disclination line main portion. Afirst included angle between the first disclination line side and thevirtual line segment is greater than a second included angle between thesecond disclination line side and the virtual line segment, and thefirst included angle and the second included angle are inside the topindentation.

Utilizing the curved side mentioned above, the arrangement of theliquid-crystal molecules is improved, and the light transmittance andthe response time response time are improved. Additionally, utilizingthe disclination line structure of the embodiment, the retention time isdecreased, and the visual angle is made uniform.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading thesubsequent detailed description and examples with references made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the display device of theembodiment;

FIG. 2A shows the main structure of the display device of theembodiment;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of portion 2B of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A shows the main structure of the display device of anotherembodiment;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of portion 3B of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A shows a disclination line structure of an embodiment;

FIG. 4B shows detailed structure of the disclination line structure ofthe embodiment;

FIG. 4C shows the disclination line structure corresponding to thedisplay device;

FIG. 4D shows a display device of a modified embodiment;

FIG. 4E is an enlarged view of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A shows the main structure of the display device of yet anotherembodiment;

FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of portion 5B of FIG. 5A; and

FIG. 6 shows the main structure of the display device of anotherembodiment, wherein the display device is a close-type indium tin oxideelectrode display device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a display device 1 of a first embodiment. The displaydevice 1 includes a first substrate 10, a second substrate 20, aliquid-crystal layer 30, a first electrode 100, and an oppositeelectrode 21. The liquid-crystal layer 30 is disposed between the firstsubstrate 10 and the second substrate 20. The first electrode 100 isdisposed on the first substrate 10. The opposite electrode 21 isdisposed on the side of the second substrate 20 that faces the firstsubstrate 10. In more detail, the liquid-crystal layer 30 is disposedbetween the first electrode 100 and the opposite electrode 21.

FIG. 2A shows the main structure of the display device 1. The firstelectrode 100 comprises a first main portion 110 and a plurality offirst extending portions 120. The first extending portions 120 areconnected to the first main portion 100. In one embodiment, the firstmain portion 110 is a cross-shaped electrode with horizontal axes andvertical axes. An included angle between the horizontal axes or thevertical axes of the first extending portions 120 and the first mainportion 110 is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees. FIG. 1 is a crosssectional view along I-I′ direction of FIG. 2A. With reference to FIGS.2A and 2B, at least one of the first extending portions 120 comprises afirst side 121, a second side 122 and a curved side 123. At FIG. 1, ahorizontal distance between the first side 121 and a point of thevertical axis of the first main portion 110 is shorter than a horizontaldistance between the second side 122 and the point of the vertical axisof the first main portion 110. In another words, the first side 121 isrelatively adjacent to the vertical axis of the first main portion 110.The second side 122 is relatively away from the vertical axis of thefirst main portion 110. The curved side 123 includes a first roundcorner 124. The first round corner 124 includes a first round corner end125 connected to the first side 121. The first round corner 124 has afirst curvature radius greater than zero. In one embodiment, the firstcurvature radius is smaller than or equal to 5 In one embodiment, thefirst side 121 is parallel to the second side 122.

With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, in another embodiment, the curvedside 123 has a second round corner 126. A third round corner end 127 ofthe second round corner 126 is connected to the second side 122. Thesecond round corner 126 has a second curvature radius greater than zero.The first round corner 124 is located between the second round corner126 and the first side 121. The second curvature radius is smaller thanthe first curvature radius.

With reference to FIG. 2A, the display device further comprises a firstsub-pixel area R1 and a second sub-pixel area R2 adjacent to the firstsub-pixel area R1. The first electrode 100 is disposed in the firstsub-pixel area R1. The second electrode 200 is disposed on the firstsubstrate 10 and located in the second sub-pixel area R2. The secondelectrode 200 comprises a second main portion 210 and a plurality ofsecond extending portions 220, and the second extending portions 220 areconnected to the second main portion 210. A common electrode 40 isdisposed on the first substrate 10 and at least partial of the commonelectrode 40 located between the first sub-pixel area R1 and the secondsub-pixel area R2. In one embodiment, the first extending portions 120extend from the first main portion 110 toward the common electrode 40.An electrical potential (voltage) difference between the first electrode100 and the second electrode 200 is greater than zero.

In more detail, the display device further comprises a plurality of scanlines SL and a plurality of data lines DL. With reference to FIGS. 2Aand 2B, the two adjacent scan lines and the two adjacent data linesdefined a pixel area PA, and at least partial of the first sub-pixelarea R1 and the second sub-pixel area R2 are located in the pixel areaPA.

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a virtual line L is parallel to thecommon electrode 40. A second round corner end 128 of the first roundcorner 124 is a tangent point of the curved structure 123 and thevirtual line L.

With reference to FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, the horizontal width Wh ofa part of the first extending portions 120 relatively adjacent to thecommon electrode 40 is shorter than the horizontal width Wh of a part ofthe first extending portions 120 relatively adjacent to the first mainportion 110. The horizontal width Wh is the line width parallel to thecommon electrode 40 or the scan line SL.

Utilizing the curved side mentioned above, the arrangement of theliquid-crystal molecules is improved, and the light transmittance andthe response time are increased. When the first curvature radius isgreater than zero and smaller than 10 μm, the light transmittance isincreased under any driving voltage. In another embodiment, the firstcurvature radius could be smaller than 10 μm Additionally, the curvedside of the embodiment is relatively retracted compared to theconventional structure. When the display device is recovered from beingpressed (for example, by a finger) in a short period, the liquid-crystalmolecules have greater space, and the liquid-crystal molecules return totheir original positions rapidly, and the retention time is decreased.Similarly, the design of second round corner also improves retentiontime. However, when the first curvature radius is greater than 10 μm,the light transmittance may be decreased. Therefore, in anotherembodiment, the first curvature radius be greater than zero and smallerthan or equal to 5 μm.

With reference to FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, a part of the firstextending portions 120 and a part of the second extending portions 220are staggered relative to common electrode 40. Specifically, the partsof the first extending portions 120 adjacent to the vertical axis of thefirst main portion 110 are arranged corresponding to the secondextending portions 220 adjacent thereto. The parts of the firstextending portions 120 away from the vertical axis of the first mainportion 110 are staggered with the second extending portions 220adjacent thereto, the first extending portions 120 and the secondextending portions 220 are positioned at the opposite side of the commonelectrode 40. In other words, a part of the first extending portions 120with relatively longer length are staggered with the second extendingportion 220 adjacent thereto. In another embodiment, two of the firstextending portions 120 with the longest length are staggered with thesecond extending portion 220 adjacent thereto.

With reference to FIG. 4A, in one embodiment, a disclination linestructure 300 is formed between the first sub-pixel area R1 and thesecond sub-pixel area R2. The disclination line structure 300 comprisesa first disclination line area 311 and two second disclination lineareas 312. The first disclination line area 311 is located between thetwo second disclination line areas 312. The width W1 of one of thesecond disclination line areas 312 away from an end of the firstdisclination line area 311 perpendicular to an extending direction ofthe common electrode 40 is greater than the minimum width W2 of thefirst disclination line area 311 perpendicular to the extendingdirection of the common electrode 40. With reference to FIG. 4C, in thisembodiment, the first extending portion 120 and the second extendingportion 220 are retracted in the second disclination line areas 312. Thefirst extending portion 120 is retracted upwardly, and the secondextending portion 220 is retracted downwardly. Therefore, the width ofthe second disclination line areas 312 away from an end of the firstdisclination line area 311 perpendicular to an extending direction ofthe common electrode 40 is greater than the minimum width of the firstdisclination line area 311 perpendicular to the extending direction ofthe common electrode 40.

With reference to FIG. 4D, in one embodiment, the tilt angles of thefirst extending portions 120 are gradually changed. For example, thetilt angle θ3 of the first extending portions 120 adjacent to thevertical axis of the first main portion 110 is 45 degrees, and the tiltangle θ4 of the first extending portions 120 away from the vertical axisof the first main portion 110 is greater than 45 degrees. Therefore, thewidth of the second disclination line areas 312 away from an end of thefirst disclination line area 311 perpendicular to an extending directionof the common electrode 40 is greater than the minimum width of thefirst disclination line area 311 perpendicular to the extendingdirection of the common electrode 40.

Additionally, by modifying the distance between the first extendingportion 120 and the second extending portion 220 and the data linesadjacent thereto, the width of one of the second disclination line areas312 away from an end of the first disclination line area 311perpendicular to an extending direction of the common electrode 40 isgreater than the minimum width of the first disclination line area 311perpendicular to the extending direction of the common electrode 40. Bymodifying the cell gap and the pre-tilt angle, the width of one of thesecond disclination line areas 312 away from an end of the firstdisclination line area 311 perpendicular to an extending direction ofthe common electrode 40 is greater than the minimum width of the firstdisclination line area 311 perpendicular to the extending direction ofthe common electrode 40. Particularly, the common electrode 40 betweenthe first sub-pixel area R1 and the second sub-pixel area R2 is parallelto the scan lines. Therefore, the width of the second disclination lineareas 312 away from an end of the first disclination line area 311perpendicular to an extending direction of the scan line is greater thanthe minimum width of the first disclination line area 311 perpendicularto the extending direction of the scan line.

With reference to FIG. 4A, in one embodiment, the disclination linestructure 300 comprises a disclination line main portion 320 and aplurality of top indentations 330 and bottom indentations 340respectively located at two sides of the disclination line main portion320. A portion of the top indentations 330 are staggered with the bottomindentations 340 corresponding thereto. In one embodiment, the topindentations 330 and the bottom indentations 340 are hook-shaped. Inmore detail, the first disclination line area 311 comprises at leastfour top indentations 330 located on both sides of the vertical axis ofthe first main portion (two top indentations on right side and two topindentations on left side) and at least four bottom indentations 340located on both sides of the vertical axis of the second main portion(two bottom indentations on the right side and two bottom indentationson the left side).

With reference to FIGS. 4B and 4E, a virtual line segment 339 is definedas the location where one of the top indentations 330 connect to thedisclination line main portion 320. The virtual line segment 339 isparallel to the common electrode 40. One of the top indentations 330comprises a first disclination line side 331 and a second disclinationline side 332. The first disclination line side 331 is relativelyadjacent to the center of the disclination line main portion 320. Thesecond disclination line side 332 is relatively away from the center ofthe disclination line main portion 320. An included angle θ2 between thefirst disclination line side 331 and the virtual line segment 339 isgreater than an included angle θ1 between the second disclination lineside 332 and the virtual line segment 339, and the first included angleθ1 and the second included angle θ2 are inside the top indentation. Inanother embodiment, first disclination line side 331 connects the seconddisclination line side 332 at a turning point 333, a connection line isdefined as between the turning point 333 and an end of the firstdisclination line side 331 away from the turning point 333, and anincluded angle θ3 between the connection line and the virtual linesegment 339 is greater than an included angle θ1 between the seconddisclination line side 332 and the virtual line segment 339, theincluded angle θ3 is obtuse angle.

With reference to FIG. 4E, in one embodiment, the first disclinationline side 331 connects the second disclination line side 332 at aturning point 333, and an area of the top indentation 330 is smallerthan a triangle area enclosed by two ends of the virtual line segment339 and the turning point 333 (as presented in dot lines). In oneembodiment, the first disclination line side 331 is curved.

The disclination line structure 300 decreases retention time. The topindentations 330 and the bottom indentations 340 can be defined by thebinarization image of the disclination line. In one embodiment, theincluded angle θ1 of each of the top indentations 330 away from thecenter of the disclination line main portion is smaller than theincluded angle θ2 adjacent to the center of the disclination line mainportion. In one embodiment, parts of the top indentations 330 arestaggered with the corresponding bottom indentations 340. Additionally,the top indentations 330 away from the center of the disclination linemain portion are staggered with the corresponding bottom indentations340, and the visual angle is made uniform.

With reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in another embodiment, the firstelectrode 100 comprises a first main portion 110 and a plurality offirst extending portions 120. The first extending portions 120 areconnected to the first main portion 110. At least one of the firstextending portions 120 comprises a first side 121, a second side 122,and a curved side 123′. The first side 121 is parallel to the secondside 122. The curved side 123′ connects the first side 121 and thesecond side 122. The first side 121 connects to the first main portion110 at a first end point 131. The second side 122 connects to the firstmain portion 110 at a second end point 132. The curved side 123′connects to the first side 121 at a third end point 133. The curved side123′ connects to the second side 122 at a fourth end point 134. The areaof the first extending portion 120 is greater than a quadrilateral areaenclosed by the first end point 131, the second end point 132, the thirdend point 133, and the fourth end point 134.

The embodiment can also be utilized in a close-type indium tin oxide(ITO) electrode display device. In this embodiment, a common electrode,an insulation layer and a first electrode are sequentially disposed onthe first substrate. An opposite electrode is disposed on the secondsubstrate. With reference to FIG. 6, the first electrode 400 comprises across-shaped main portion 410, a peripheral portion 420 and a pluralityof extending portions 430 connected to the main portion 410 and theperipheral portion 420. A gap 440 is formed between the extendingportions 430. The peripheral portion 420 comprises at least one curvedside 421. In one embodiment, the peripheral portion 420 comprises afifth side 422 and a sixth side 423. The fifth side 422 is parallel tothe horizontal axis of the cross-shaped main portion 410. The sixth side423 is parallel to the vertical axis of the cross-shaped main portion410. The curved side 421 connects the fifth side 422 at a fifth tangentpoint, and the curved side 421 connects the sixth side 423 at a sixthtangent point.

Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in theclaims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote anypriority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or thetemporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are usedmerely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain namefrom another element having the same name.

While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in termsof the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosureis not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements.Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded thebroadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications andsimilar arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device, comprising: a first substrate;a second substrate; a liquid-crystal layer disposed between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; and a first electrode disposed onthe first substrate, wherein the first electrode comprises: a first mainportion that is a cross-shaped electrode with a first horizontal axisand a first vertical axis; a plurality of first extending portionsconnected to the first horizontal axis or the first vertical axis; and afirst peripheral portion, wherein part of the plurality of firstextending portions are connected between the first peripheral portionand the first main portion, and other part of the plurality of firstextending portions are not connected between the first peripheralportion and the first main portion; wherein the first peripheral portionhas an outer side, the outer side comprises at least one first curvedside, a gap is formed between adjacent two of the plurality of firstextending portions, and two ends of the gap have curved edges.
 2. Thedisplay device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first peripheralportion is parallel to the first vertical axis of the first mainportion.
 3. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprisinga data line disposed on the first substrate and extending along a firstdirection, wherein the first peripheral portion extends along the firstdirection.
 4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a second electrode, wherein the second electrode is separatedfrom the first electrode, and the second electrode comprises: a secondmain portion that is a cross-shaped electrode with a second horizontalaxis and a second vertical axis; a plurality of second extendingportions connected to the second horizontal axis or the second verticalaxis; and a second peripheral portion, wherein part of the plurality ofsecond extending portions are connected between the second peripheralportion and the second main portion, and other part of the plurality ofsecond extending portions are not connected between the secondperipheral portion and the second main portion.
 5. The display device asclaimed in claim 4, the second peripheral portion has an outer side, theouter side of the second peripheral portion comprises at least onesecond curved side.
 6. The display device as claimed in claim 5, whereinthe other part of the plurality of first extending portions are adjacentto the other part of the plurality of second extending portions.
 7. Thedisplay device as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the at least onefirst curved side is adjacent to one of the at least one second curvedside.
 8. The display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of theother part of the plurality of first extending portions and one theother part of the plurality of second extending portions are separatedby a first distance in an extending direction of the first verticalaxis, the one of the at least one first curved side and the one of theat least one second curved side are separated by a second distance inthe extending direction of the first vertical axis, and the firstdistance is different from the second distance.
 9. The display device asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the first distance is greater than thesecond distance.
 10. The display device as claimed in claim 4, whereinthe other part of the plurality of first extending portions and theother part of the plurality of second extending portions are staggered.11. The display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a number of theother part of the plurality of first extending portions is the same as anumber of the other part of the plurality of second extending portions.12. The display device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a dataline disposed on the first substrate and extending along a firstdirection, wherein the first peripheral portion and the secondperipheral portion respectively extend along the first direction. 13.The display device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a firstsub-pixel area and a second sub-pixel area adjacent to the firstsub-pixel area, wherein the first electrode is located in the firstsub-pixel area, and the second electrode is located in the secondsub-pixel area.
 14. The display device as claimed in claim 1, whereinone of the other part of the plurality of first extending portionscomprises a first side, a second side and a curved side, the curved sideconnects the first side and the second side, the first side isrelatively adjacent to the first vertical axis of the first mainportion, and the second side is relatively away from the first verticalaxis of the first main portion.
 15. The display device as claimed inclaim 14, wherein the curved side comprises a first round cornerconnected to the first side and a second round corner connected to thesecond side, and a first curvature radius of the first round corner isdifferent from a second curvature radius of the second round corner. 16.The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second curvatureradius is smaller than the first curvature radius.
 17. The displaydevice as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first curvature radius of thefirst round corner is smaller than 10 μm.
 18. The display device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein a horizontal width of one of the other partof the plurality of first extending portions away from the first mainportion is shorter than a horizontal width of the one of the other partof the plurality of first extending portions adjacent to the first mainportion.
 19. The display device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a scan line disposed on the first substrate, wherein a widthof the first main portion in an extending direction of the scan line isgreater than a width of at least one of the plurality of first extendingportions in the extending direction of the scan line.